My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on June 18, 2017

It is good day when projects get accomplished. Saturday was a sunny and dry for the painting of my GREAT grandparents’ two wicker chairs (unsure, but think they were from my Grandmother Ruth “Walker” Bluhm side). My Grandmother and Grandfather Bluhm used them for years on their Wright Avenue front porch in Toledo Ohio, then my mom treasured them so much she “cable locked them” to their front porch in Sidney.

These were chairs I really wanted from my parents estate and although we used them last year, they were in need of “another” coat of protective paint (who knows how many … but I do know there was green paint many years ago — likely LEAD based???)

I powerwashed the chair “lightly” after brushing any loose paint off with a stiff brush a few weeks ago and made sure they were completely dry — sun and then stored them inside. After debating between a new coat of Latex trim paint, I decided to try an oil based enamel in hopes a few sprayed on thin coats would penetrate the tiny cracks and grooved better? Only time will tell. So far they look good.

Since it is Father’s Day weekend, my son took both Brenda and I out to dinner at Chilis on Montgomery Road as a halfway point and for the memories of when we first moved to Cincinnati. Chilis is a long time favorite of mine (and both Brenda and Taylor too). Thank you Taylor!

EDIT 6/18/2017: I had to include a Facebook post from Taylor as it doesn’t get much better than this for a father.

Happy Father’s Day to my Dad who has always been there throughout my life. Thank you for being my biggest fan, greatest teacher and most respected counsel. Love, Your Son and Biggest Fan

Category: Archive, Holiday, Misc, Personal, Photos | No Comments »
Tags: brenda, family, fathers day, grandparents, painting, richc, taylor, wicker

Posted By RichC on June 17, 2017

The population of rodents and critters has risen in the years we’ve been living in Liberty Township, Ohio. We have either encroach on the critters … or more likely encroached on the predators of the critters. In either case, we have more and more of them in our yard and boldly closing in on the house and detached — likely the absence of Tootsie is a key?

I’ve been tracking down and live trapping a number of the bigger ones (raccoons and unfortunately skunks!) but the smaller ones are becoming a concern as well. I’m talking about chipmunks and squirrels. I’ve been setting smaller live traps without success and may have to try more drastic measures. In fact, on the next trip with Jeff skeet shooting we may spend some time at the rifle range sighting in my new 3-9 x 50 Hawke scope, although doubt .223 is the appropriate round for a chipmunk! (Just so I won’t alarm anyone, I’ll probably just use an air rifle on the squirrels and pick up a new trap for the chipmunks.)

Category: Nature, Personal, Photos | No Comments »
Tags: chipmunk, critters, hawke, raccoon, shooting, skunk, squirrel

Posted By RichC on June 16, 2017

We’ll see how the new iOS Twitter update is received by users, but since it is my go-to social network for all things news, I’ve download the hefty update to my aging iPhone5s and will see how bogged down it feels (very sluggish of late on most apps). Hopefully it will continue to run reasonable quick and the new look will be palatable, unlike Yahoo Finance’s NEW Portfolio … serious pushback. Stay tuned for grumbling or praise.

Twitter gets a makeover with faster navigation, a cleaner interface and circular profile pictures

• The biggest alteration moves the profile to a side navigation tab
• This will leave four main tabs at the bottom of the screen
• Other changes include tweaks to typography, icons and layout
• The changes are being rolled out and will continue in the coming weeks

A redesign of Twitter has been announced that should make the social media site faster and easier to use.
Many of the changes are fairly subtle, but they are aimed at creating a more uniform experience for users on different platforms.
The alterations have been made in response to feedback from Twitter’s 313 million monthly active users about elements they didn’t like, according to the firm.

Read article

EDIT: After the update … here’s the difference? (old on left, new on right)

Category: Cellphone, Social Media, Software, Tablet, Technology | No Comments »
Tags: android, app, interface, ios, mobile, tech friday, techfriday, twitter

Posted By RichC on June 15, 2017

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Category: Archive, Personal, Photos, Travel | 1 Comment »
Tags: annalyn, drew, facetime, family, katelyn, mt rushmore, trip

Posted By RichC on June 14, 2017

Sort of a surprise to most Fed watchers today as the consensus was for the Federal Reserve to raise rates a 1/4 point in September, not June. Perhaps it won’t make much difference for the whole year, but Chair Janet Yellen obviously wants to stay ahead of the curve. The target inflation rate remain 2% as the Fed flexes its market moving muscle. According to Ms. Yellen, "All that we’re doing in raising rates is removing a bit of accommodation, heading toward a neutral pace. We’re not moving so aggressively as to put a brake on continued improvement in the labor market." Most watcher no long expect a September move, but are factoring in one more by the end of 2017.

Category: Financial, News | 1 Comment »
Tags: economy, federal reserve, inflation, janet yellen

Posted By RichC on June 14, 2017

Flag Day 2017 — “Something To Stand For” by Mike Rowe of MikeRoweWORKS

Category: Audio, History | No Comments »
Tags: flag, History, mike rowe, star spangled banner

Posted By RichC on June 14, 2017

#TeamFiona playing cards on sale for short time at Cincinnati area Kroger

It is strange after 50 years that curiosity finally piqued my interest as to how the four kings on playing cards came to be …  who are they?  Of course  the beauty of having the Internet at your fingertips is that finding “an” answer is easy … here’s was writer Toby Bochan had to say last year:

It’s commonly thought that each of the four kings in a deck of cards represents a great ruler of the past. In this line of reasoning, the king of spades is said to be David, king of Israel; the king of clubs is supposed to be Alexander the Great; the king of hearts, the French king Charlemagne; and the king of diamonds is the Roman Caesar Augustus.

Some sources say the king of diamonds is Julius Caesar, not Augustus. However, while many people state this as fact, there is significant debate on this subject. David Mikkelson, at Snopes.com, says it’s false.

A LITTLE HISTORY

Playing cards arrived in Europe in the late 14th century and decks differed greatly depending on where they were produced. There were inconsistent numbers of cards and design, although all decks had suits made up of court cards (now usually called face cards) and numbered cards. Eventually, as card-playing in Europe became more widespread, the decks were mass-produced with stencils and always included 52 cards, the same number a deck includes now.It was the French card-makers in the late 16th century who standardized the suits of spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs and designated the four kings as David, Alexander, Charlemagne and Augustus. But Mikkelson adds that this designation was ended in the late 18th century and from then on, the kings in decks of cards have represented no one in particular, any more than the kings on a chessboard stand for illustrious royals of the past.

Adam Wintle, in the UK website The World of Playing Cards, says that English king cards have never been named for any historical person and supports Snopes’ contention that the connection of real royals to the cards was a wholly French invention.

Down through the centuries, the figures in the court cards of Pierre Marechal of Rouen– kings, queens and jacks (originally called knights or knaves) — have been dressed in the medieval clothing that was original to the 15th-century designs of the French.

LINK

Category: Blogs, History, Misc, Tidbits | No Comments »
Tags: cards, deck, desultory, History, kings, snopes, thoughtco

Posted By RichC on June 13, 2017

There was a time when I thought I could count on Republicans who now control the House of Representatives, Senate and Whitehouse in Washington DC to reduce taxes — how naïve of me.

The latest going around is how "gasoline and diesel taxes haven’t been increase in years and how they need to go up to improve infrastructure." There is always some excuse to obfuscate how how many ways bureaucrats collect taxes, but in the end government grows bigger, the spending higher, the waste more, the debt being passed down to our children larger and overall bureaucratic efficiency lower.

BTW, why continue to tax diesel more than gasoline?
It is only passed on in higher prices?

Category: Automotive, Diesel, Energy, Politics | No Comments »
Tags: diesel, fuel, gasoline, government, infrastructure, taxes

Posted By RichC on June 12, 2017

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Category: Audio, Entertainment, Music | 1 Comment »
Tags: alzhemers, glen campbell, lineman, mp3, music monday, musicmonday, witchita

Posted By RichC on June 11, 2017

Not too many photos, but Taylor’s friends all seemed to have a great time celebrating his birthday this weekend in the backyard. The Knockerballs were a hit … and Taylor even showed his love for his mom  Ha! (video below).

Category: Archive, Misc, Personal, Video | No Comments »
Tags: birthday, family, friends, knockerballs, pool, taylor